Ride-on toys in the form of low-slung tricycles currently enjoy widespread popularity. They are generally decorated in ways that are attractive and often unique, and it is not uncommon to add various kinds of units to promote a thematic concept or to otherwise increase the level of interest and enjoyment for the child. For example, a head-simulating figure may be mounted upon the handlebar structure of such a cycle, to cooperate with a creature body-simulating design of the vehicle chassis.
In addition, toys capable of animation have long found widespread appeal among children, and are disclosed in numerous forms in the prior art. One form of such action toys simulates a creature having wings that are movable in a flapping action, as disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,036,328 to Furey; 2,637,939 to Polk; 3,153,871 to Semba; 3,577,670 to Gutierrez; 4,244,138 to Holahan et al; and 4,307,533 to Sims et al.
More particularly, the Furey patent describes a toy insect having movable wings that are operatively connected to a pair of ground-engaging wheels.
A flapping wing toy, constructed to simulate a bird or butterfly, is shown in the Polk patent; it employs a pair of hinged arms, oscillated by finger pressure, to which the wing sections are attached.
Semba shows the use of an electric motor to animate various parts of a bird toy, including the wings; projections on a rotated disc successively engage a rod to which the wings are attached, oscillating the rod and thereby causing a fluttering effect of the wings.
Gutierrez discloses a wing flapping toy in which the wings are loosely mounted upon a handle, and are held in place by a rubber band. The handle has a spring-like portion which terminates in a pair of parallel ears, disposed to force the wings to elevated positions when the handle is squeezed.
The Holahan et al patent describes an animated bird toy in which a trigger-like lever, pivotably mounted upon the body, is operated to simulate flapping of outwardly extending portions of the wings.
In the toy insect of the Sims et al patent, four wings are rotatably mounted upon pins attached to hinged mounting plates. The plates are acted upon by a lever to elevate the wings against the force of gravity.
It is of course desirable to achieve optimal visual appeal, functional effectiveness, facile operation, and durability in any such add-on unit, while minimizing the complexity of the animating mechanism and the cost of manufacture, and ensuring compatibility with the vehicle. Despite the level of prior art activity indicated above, a demand remains for a figure-simulating unit of unique construction, in which the foregoing criteria are realized.
Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide a novel unit for mounting upon handlebar structure of a child's ride-on toy, and a novel ride-on toy incorporating such a unit, wherein the unit is adapted for manual actuation to simulate a flying figure having flappable wings.
It is a more specific object of the invention to provide such a unit in which the actuating mechanism is of relatively uncomplicated and durable construction, is comprised of parts that are relatively simple and few in number, and provides good mechanical advantage and convenience for facile operation.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a unit and toy creature which are relatively economical to manufacture.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel wing assembly which is adapted to be readily mounted upon and removed from supporting parts provided by such a unit, the interconnection therebetween being resilient and yet secure.